United States of America
Brazil and the United States are the largest democracies in the Americas. Both nations have dynamic and diversified economies and share common values and interests. Their populations are ethnically and culturally diverse. The bilateral relationship is comprehensive and institutionalized, based on a solid history of partnership. In 2024 the two countries celebrated the 200th anniversary of diplomatic relations between them. The anniversary served as a framework for a fruitful year of meetings, discussions, and initiatives in the bilateral sphere, consolidating the process of relaunching and revitalizing the relations that began in 2023.
The United States is the main destination for Brazilian exports of manufactured goods and the top source of foreign direct investment to Brazil. Several US companies have been present in the Brazilian market for more than a hundred years. At the same time, Brazilian corporations are also expanding their investments in the United States, in an effort to augment their scale of production, to acquire new technologies and to expand their activities worldwide. People-to-people ties have also gained importance through the increase in the number of business trips, student exchanges and cultural activities. The United States hosts the largest contingent of Brazilian expatriates, estimated at 1.9 million people.
Brazil and the United States engage on topics such as the defense of democracy, the fight against climate change, the promotion of human rights, the integration of value chains, trade facilitation, science, technology and innovation, and the strengthening of cooperation in the fields of energy transition, space, education and culture.
At the invitation of President Biden, President Lula visited Washington, DC, on February 10, 2023. On the occasion, both leaders stressed that the strengthening of democracy, the promotion of respect to human rights and the fight against climate change are at the center of the bilateral agenda. They also decided to resume activities of the Brazil-U.S. High Level Working Group on Climate Change and to revitalize the Brazil-U.S Joint Action Plan to Eliminate Racial and Ethnic Discrimination and Promote Equality.
President Lula and President Biden met again on September 20, 2023 in New York. The meeting marked the joint launch of the “Partnership for Workers’ Rights”.
In 2024, President Biden visited the Amazon, marking the first visit by a sitting U.S. president to the region, before taking part in the G20 Leaders' Summit in Rio de Janeiro. In this context, the U.S. government announced an additional contribution of $50 million to the Amazon Fund, bringing the total announced in 2024 to approximately $100 million. On the occasion of the Summit, President Lula and President Biden launched the "New Brazil-U.S. Partnership for the Energy Transition."
On November 6, 2024, President Lula congratulated President Donald Trump on his election victory, which occurred the day before, and his return to the presidency of the United States. On January 20, 2025, in congratulating President Trump on his inauguration, he highlighted cooperation in the Brazil-U.S. relationship, based on mutual respect and a historic friendship, as well as the deep ties between the two countries across several sectors, such as trade, science, education, and culture.
The constructive dialogue between the governments of Brazil and the United States takes place through various cooperation mechanisms. In 2024, in addition to the resumption of the High-Level Dialogue in Washington, the following bilateral mechanisms were convened: the Bilateral Dialogue on Migration, Humanitarian, and Refugee Affairs; the Permanent Consultation Mechanism between Governments and Representatives of Trade Unions from Brazil and the U.S.; the Strategic Defense Conversations; the Dialogue on Strategic Minerals; the Trade Dialogue; the Brazil-U.S. Energy Forum; and the Joint Action Plan to Eliminate Racial and Ethnic Discrimination (JAPER).
In terms of trade, the United States is the second-largest trading partner of Brazil, the main destination for Brazilian industrial exports and the largest purchaser of Brazilian high-tech products. In 2024, bilateral trade flow reached $80.9 billion, representing an 8.1% increase relative to 2023. During this period, Brazil exported $40.3 billion (a 9.2% increase compared to the same period in 2023) and imported $40.5 billion (a 6.9% increase in the same comparison). In 2024, Brazil experienced a trade deficit of $253.3 million. The trade balance has been in deficit for Brazil over the past 16 years.
The United States has been the largest foreign investor in Brazil for over a decade, with a stock of foreign direct investment (FDI) totaling $246.3 billion in 2022, according to data from the Brazilian Central Bank (ultimate controlling party criterion)— accounting for nearly 25% of the total FDI in the country. According to the same data from the Central Bank, Brazil ranks 8th among the top destinations for U.S. investments. The frequent exchange of high-level meetings between Brazilian and U.S. leaders, as well as the wide-ranging formal mechanisms for dialogue established between representatives of the public and private sectors of the two countries, highlight the broad, dynamic and productive nature of the Brazil-US partnership.
Chronology of bilateral relations
2025 – President Lula congratulates President Donald Trump on the occasion of his inauguration as the 47th President of the United States.
2024 – President Lula congratulates President Donald Trump on his election victory and return to the U.S. presidency.
2024 – President Joe Biden visits the Amazon, marking the first visit by a sitting U.S. president to the region, in the context of his participation in the G20 Leaders’ Summit in Rio de Janeiro. The "New Brazil-U.S. Partnership for the Energy Transition" is launched by Presidents Lula and Biden during the G20 Summit.
2024 – The 200th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Brazil and the United States is celebrated.
2023 – Meeting between President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva and President Joe Biden, on the margins of the 78th United Nations General Assembly´s high level week, in New York, and joint launch of the “Partnership for Workers’ Rights”.
2023 – Visit aof United States Trade Representative Katherine Tai to Brasilia (March 7-8).
2023 – Visit of Special Presidential Enfoy for the Climate John Kerry to Brasilia (February 27-28).
2023 – Visit of President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva to the United States (February 10). [Joint Statement]
2022 – Meeting of the Brazil-United States-High-Level Dialogue, in Brasília (April 25).
2021 - Visit of the United States National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan to Brazil (Brasilia, August 5). [Press release] [Photos of the visit]
2020 – The U.S. Department of State Under Secretary for Economic Growth, Energy, and the Environment, Keith Krach, visits Brazil (São Paulo and Brasília, Novemer 9-11). The Japan-United States-Brazil Exchange (JUSBE) is launched. Photos of the visit.
2020 – The United States National Security Advisor, Robert O'Brien, visits Brazil (São Paulo and Brasilia - October 19-20). [Photos of the visit]
2020 – Signing of the of the Protocol to the Agreement on Trade and Economic Cooperation Relating to Trade Rules and Transparency (October 19). [Brazil - U.S. joint press release]
2020 – Secretary of State Mike Pompeo visits the city of Boa Vista (Roraima State). Bilateral working meeting between Minister Ernesto Araújo and the Secretary of State (September 18)
2020 – President Jair Bolsonaro visits Florida. [Joint Statement]. Dinner with President Donald Trump. Signing of the Defense Research, Development, Test and Evaluation Agreement (March 7-10)
2020 – Foreign Affairs Minister Ernesto Araújo travels to Washington to attend a launch dinner for the " International Religious Freedom Alliance"; the National Prayer Breakfast and a special session of the OAS Permanent Council (February 5-6)
2020 – Minister Ernesto Araújo meets with Secretary of State Mike Pompeo in Bogota, on the sidelines of the III Hemispheric Conference on the Fight against Terrorism (January 21)
2019 – Minister Ernesto Araújo visits the US for the inaugural meeting of the Strategic Policy Dialogue (September 13)
2019 – The US Secretary of Commerce, Wilbur Ross, visits Brazil (São Paulo and Brasília - July 30 to August 1)
2019 – Presidents Bolsonaro and Trump meet on the margins of the G-20 Summit, in the city of Osaka (June 28)
2019 – The President of the Republic visits Dallas, to receive the “Personality of the Year” award from the Brazil-United States Chamber of Commerce ”, accompanied by the Ministers of Economy; Foreign Relations
2019 – Minister Ernesto Araújo makes a working visit to Washington, to follow up on the topics covered in the presidential visit (April 29)
2019 – The Minister of Defense visits the US (April 25-29)
2019 – Official visit of the Vice President of the Republic, Hamilton Mourão to the US (Washington, April 8 and 9)
2019 – Minister Ernesto Araújo accompanies President Jair Bolsonaro on a visit to the United States (Washington, March 17- 19) [Joint statement]
2019 – Minister Ernesto Araújo visits the United States (Washington, February 5-7) to hold meetings with U.S. government officials, opinion leaders, entrepreneurs and congressmen [Press conference]
2019 – Minister Ernesto Araújo receives U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo (Brasília, January 2), who represented President Donald Trump in the inauguration of President Jair Bolsonaro [Press conference]
2018 – Courtesy visit of U.S. Secretary of Defense James Mattis (Brasília, August 13)
2018 – Coordination meeting of the Brazilian consular network in North America (Chicago, July 6-7)
2018 – U.S. Vice President Mike Pence visits Brasília (June 26-27)
2018 – U.S. Deputy Secretary of State John J. Sullivan visits Brasília (May 22)
2016 – U.S. Under Secretary for Political Affairs, Ambassador Thomas Shannon, visits Brazil when he is hosted by Foreign Minister José Serra (December 17)
2016 – Foreign Minister José Serra holds a working meeting with Secretary of State John Kerry at the Itamaraty Palace in Rio de Janeiro on the occasion of the opening of the Rio 2016 Olympics (August 5)
2016 – Minister Mauro Vieira travels to the United States on the occasion of the Third Meeting of the Brazil-U.S. Commission on Economic and Trade Relations under the Brazil-United States Agreement on Trade and Economic Cooperation (ATEC), and of the 4th Nuclear Security Summit, in Washington, D.C. (March 31 to April 1)
2015 – President Dilma Rousseff visits New York, Washington and San Francisco (June 29 to July 1)
2015 – Minister Mauro Vieira visits Washington (January 13-16)
2015 – Vice President Joe Biden visits Brazil on the occasion of the inauguration of President Dilma Rousseff (January 1st)
2013 – Vice President Joe Biden visits Brazil (May 31)
2013 – U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry visits Brazil (August 13)
2013 – U.S. Vice President Joe Biden visits Brazil (May 31). The agenda focus on economy and energy issues
2013 – Minister Antonio Patriota visits Washington (May 20)
2012 – The fourth meeting of the Global Partnership Dialogue, the last under the coordination of U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, is held (October). The conclusion of the Action Plan on Aviation Partnership is announced
2012 – U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security Janet Napolitano visits Brazil (July). Deepening of the bilateral dialogue on visa and migration
2012 – U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton visits Brazil (April 16 and 17). The third meeting of the Global Partnership Dialogue is held in Brasília with the aim of establishing the “next steps” in the bilateral relations
2012 – President Dilma Rousseff makes an official visit to the United States (April 9 and 10)
2011 – The second meeting of the Global Partnership Dialogue is held in Washington
2011 – President Barack Obama visits Brazil (March). Signing of ten bilateral agreements
2011 – Minister Antonio de Aguiar Patriota visits the United States (February 23 and 24). Dialogue on themes of the bilateral and global agenda
2011 – U.S. Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner visits Brazil (February). Dialogue on the world economic situation
2010 – Secretary of State Hillary Clinton visits Brazil (March). The Global Partnership Dialogue is launched
2009 – Secretary-General of Foreign Affairs Samuel Pinheiro Guimarães visits Washington (June)
2008 – First meeting of the ‘Brazil Caucus’, a new informal group of congress members with an interest in Brazil and the Brazil-U.S. relations (September)
2008 – The Chief of Staff of the Presidency, Dilma Rousseff, visits Washington (April)
2008 – Minister of Defense Nelson Jobim visits Washington (March). Promotion of military rapprochement between the two countries
2008 – U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice visits Brasília and Salvador. Signing of the Action Plan to Promote Racial and Ethnic Equality (March)
2007 – Resolution of the U.S. House of Representatives recognizes the “warm friendship” and the growing “strategic relations” between Brazil and the United States (September)
2007 – President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva visits Camp David
2007 – President George W. Bush visits São Paulo (March). Signing of Memorandum of Understanding on Biofuels
2006 – President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva visits the United States
2005 – President George W. Bush visits Brazil
1997 – President William J. Clinton visits Brazil
1995 – President Fernando Henrique Cardoso visits the United States
1990 – President George H. W. Bush visits Brazil
1986 – President José Sarney visits the United States
1982 – President Ronald Reagan visits Brazil
1978 – President Jimmy Carter visits Brazil
1960 – President Dwight D. Eisenhower visits Brazil
1949 – President Eurico Gaspar Dutra visits the United States
1947 – President Harry Truman visits Brazil
1936 – President Franklin D. Roosevelt visits Brazil
1905 – Elevation of the two Legations to Embassy status. Joaquim Nabuco is the first Brazilian Ambassador to Washington, and David E. Thompson is the first American Ambassador to Rio de Janeiro
1876 – Emperor Dom Pedro II visits the United States
1825 – Inauguration of the Legation of the United States in Brazil
1824 – The United States recognizes Brazil’s independence. Establishment of diplomatic relations. Inauguration of the Brazilian Legation in Washington.